Mondo Jazz

New York City's Winter JazzFest might be the festival where fans and promoters from all over the world come to learn about the New York scene's going-ons, but it is also the event where Newyorkers get a rare chance to see remarkable musicians from abroad (or at least from out of town), including those featured here. Enjoy a playlist which will make you want to go to see them live! The playlist features Léon Phal; Deajazz, Lionel Belmondo, Stéphane Belmondo, Thomas Bramerie, Laurent Fickelson, Eric Legnini, Dre Pallemaerts; Bokani Dyer; Malika Zarra [pictured]; Natalie Greffel; Rogê; Pedro Martins; Tineke Postma; Chiquita Magic, Ambrose Akinmusire; Nduduzo Makhathini; Shabaka; and Natural Information Society [up to "Stigmergy"] Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18366352/Mondo-Jazz Happy listening!

We may regret not having been around when some of our idols were writing the pages that have now become foundations of the music we love. There is not much we can do about that, other than fantasizing about those times and those musicians. What we can do however is feeling lucky to live at a time when there is a number of modern masters in action. One of them is trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire [pictured], for whom 2023 was a remarkable year. Here we focus on the wide range of releases he has worked on, as well as on those of other adventurous musicians. The playlist also features ; Michael Yezerski; Cautious Clay; Dhafer Youssef; Bill Frisell, Herlin Riley; ladyybirdd; Enji; Joseph Branciforte, Theo Bleckmann [from "Brickdrop Mashup" onwards]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18366352/Mondo-Jazz Happy listening! Photo credit: Tim Dickeson.

This is the last hour of Mondo Jazz for 2023. Thank you for your attention and support in the past 12 months. We look forward to sharing more beauty in the key of jazz in 2024. The playlist features Charley Rose; Anthony Hervey [pictured]; Espen Eriksen, Andy Sheppard; Maciej Obara; Roy Nathanson; Anna Webber; Myra Melford; and Jasper Høiby The detailed playlist is at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18308128/Mondo-Jazz [from "Cow's Blues" onward]. Happy listening!

The past four episodes were dedicated to a retrospective and a celebration of the many good things that happened in the jazz world in 2023, through a focus on our favorite songs of the last few months. This time we revert to our regular overview of recent and upcoming releases… some which could also have been included in our favorites, but we just didn't have enough space in the last four playlists. The playlist features Jaimie Branch; Fire! Orchestra; Chief Adjuah; Mbuso Khoza, Nduduzo Makhathini; Nabou Claerhout [pictured]; Ella Zirina; Dave Meder, Isabel Crespo Pardo; Joshua Redman, Gabrielle Cavassa; Dave Douglas and Elan Mehler The detailed playlist is at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18308128/Mondo-Jazz [up to "A Thicket of Summer Grass"]. Happy listening!

For the past few episodes we have been looking back at albums released this year which we've been most fascinated by, and we cherry-picked songs from those albums that struck us the most… To wrap up this retrospective here's the last batch of sonic gems. The playlist features Trio Grande, Will Vinson, Gilad Hekselman, Nate Wood; Sammy Figueroa, Gonzalo Rubalcaba; Richard Baratta; Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns; Nitai Hershkovits; Per "Texas" Johansson; Jonathan Suazo; Sullivan Fortner, Cecile McLorin Salvant; Helen Svoboda; Hannah Marks [pictured]; Andrew Krasilnikov. Playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18307958/Mondo-Jazz [from "Urban Myth" onward]. Happy listening!

A playlist with a few more among the songs that we have been collecting through the past 6 months with a plan to share them, all at once, in an attempt to close a challenging year under more than a few good notes, a right of passage from one phase of our lives to another. The playlist features Johnathan Blake; Elio Villafranca; Will Bernard, Beth Custer; Francesco Bigoni, Benoît Delbecq, Francesco Diodati, Steve Argüelles; Makiko Hirabayashi [pictured]; Miho Hazama's m_unit; Marike Van Dijk; Darcy James Argue's Secret Society; Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra. Playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18307958/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Dolphin Disco"]. Happy listening!

It's that time of the year when we look back at the past twelve months and realize that Jazz continues to be possibly the only thing that doesn't let us down, while the world is getting crazier by the hour. So here we are again, sharing a few mores tunes we've loved the most in the past few months. The playlist features Idris Ackamoor; Maria Pia de Vito; Todd Sickafoose; John Zorn; Henri Texier; Billy Mohler; Thandi Ntuli, Carlos Niño; Kris Davis; Sofia Rei, Jorge Roeder; Pierrick Pédron, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18277956/Mondo-Jazz [from 'Police Dem" onwards]. Photo credit: Scott Irvine.

This week we focus on the songs that have made us smile, tap our feet, reflect and keep our optimism in spite of the dire state of the world during the past six months. We hope they'll have the same effect on you. The playlist features Alan Ferber; Laurent Cugny; Michael Leonhart Orchestra; Allison Miller [pictured]; Céline Bonacina; Zenophilia; Lucas Pino; RDL+; Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley and Brian Blade. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18277956/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Amelia"] Happy listening! Photo credit: Jay Blakesberg

If this episode of Mondo Jazz could be summarized in a flow-chart it would be someting like: West-African tinged European Jazz -> jazz meets (symphonic or chamber) classical music -> electro-acoustic chamber jazz. The playlist features Csaba Palotai, Simon Drappier, Steve Arguelles; African Jazz Roots; Sophie Alour [pictured]; Luigi Grasso, Orchestra Senzaspine; Andrea Keller; Paul Dietrich; Quinsin Nachoff; Espen Berg; and Guillermo Klein. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18247879/Mondo-Jazz (from "Ave De Clichy" onward). Happy listening!

Here's an episode mostly dedicated to the proposition that piano jazz has a very beautiful future, if we have to judge by what emerging pianists like Micah Thomas, Nitai Hershkovits [pictured], Dexter Goldberg, Joona Toivanen or Fergus McCreadie are putting on record. Before and after this piano segment, thrilling new albums. The playlist also features Koma Saxo; Ethnic Heritage Ensemble; Geri Allen, Kurt Rosenwinkel; Mire III; and Simon Wilsson. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18247879/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Viridiana"). Happy listening!

Emerging saxophonists, emerging guitarists, established masters, and the good feeling that we're in the middle of a great time for jazz lovers where tradition and innovation bring about tons of good music. The playlist features Freddy DeBoe; Azat Bayazitov; Silvan Joray; Filippo Sala; Gabor Gado, Veronika Harcsa; Zsòfia Boros [pictured]; Ron Blake; Joe Peri; Martin Wind, Jim McNeely and Ed Neumeister. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18216397/Mondo-Jazz [from "Lora Blu" onward]. Happy listening!

Stevie Wonder, Maya Angelou, Ryuichi Sakamoto, the crazy world we live in, and the world immigrants left behind are some of the sources of inspiration of the intriguing music featured this week on our playlist. The playlist features Isaiah Collier; Endea Owens; Sullivan Fortner [pictured]; Fabrice Martinez; Steven Lugerner; Asynchrone; Trond Kallevåg; Elsa Nilsson; Ray Angry, Dave Murray, ?uestlove Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18216397/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Atomic Number"]. Happy listening!

This time we play with an unusual idea, alternating big band albums with albums recorded by vibraphone players. Why?, you may ask... For no particular reason, other than the fact that we realized the tunes we selected flow well together in this sequence. The playlist features Nikki Iles; Chien Chien Lu; Miho Hazama, Immanuel Wilkins; Yuhan Su [pictured]; Sam Eastmond; Wayne Horvitz, Butch Morris, Bobby Previte; Vanessa Perica; and Simon Moullier. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18186218/Mondo-Jazz (from "Red Ellen" onwards). Happy listening!

We open this week's edition with a few projects that represent the essence of world fusion which is taking place in these modern times, and we close with a few projects that gravitate around that music catalyst that {{Carlos Niño}} is. In between, projects that will let your fantasy fly. The playlist features also Matthieu Saglio; Jonathan Suazo [pictured]; Itamar Borochov; RDL+; Wayne Horvitz, Butch Morris, Bobby Previte; Blue Cranes; Will Vinson, Gilad Hekselman, Nate Wood; Clément Janinet; Thandi Ntuli; Surya Botofasina; and André 3000. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18186218/Mondo-Jazz (up to "BuyPoloDisorder's Daughter Wears A 3000® Shirt Embroidered"). Happy listening!

This episode features music inspired by {{Miles Davis}}, {{Andrew Hill}} and {{Buddy Emmons}}, but also by the Amazon Forest and the rivers of the Brazilian North-East. The playlist features Bright Magus; André Roligheten [pictured]; Rich Hinman; Verneri Pohjola; Amaro Freitas; Ron Horton; Angelica Sanchez; Marike Van Dijk; Maria Grapsa. Detailed list at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18155316/Mondo-Jazz (from "Long Legs" onwards). Happy Listening! Photo credit: Žiga Koritnik

This time we try to bring you jazz that refuses to respect boundaries, or "Somethin' Else from Somewher' Else". Here is an episode illustrates how jazz may well be the most welcoming music genre there is, perfectly able to blend with musical traditions from all over the world, from Native American and Latin American roots to Fado, Flamenco, Baroque British music and more. The playlist features Zenophilia, Dean Bowman; Nicole Johänntgen [pictured]; Henri Texier; Robbie Robertson; Tiziano Tononi; Leïla Martial, Valentin Ceccaldi; Sofia Rei, Jorge Roeder; Emilio Solla, Antonio Lizana; Antonio Lizana; Júlio Resende Fado Jazz; Nils Berg Cinemascope. Detailed list at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18155316/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Anima"). Happy Listening! Photo credit: Daniel Bernet

From wall of sound albums to projects of sparse beauty, this week we cover the whole sonic gamut, with a special attention to the trio format, because... three is the perfect jazz number! The playlist features Daniel Karlsson; John Scofield; Makiko Hirabayashi; Francesco Fiorenzani; MoonMot; Resavoir; Hannah Marks; Ava Mendoza [pictured], Kevin Hoff; Vincent Courtois, Daniel Erdmann, Robin Finker; Blankfor.ms, Jason Moran, Marcus Gilmore; JD Allen. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18123672/Mondo-Jazz (from "Bus Stop Story" onward). Happy listening! Photo credit: Petra Cvelbar

A playlist featuring musicians paying tribute to the music that inspired them to do what they do, be it electric jazz or R&B of the 70s and 80s, the Mississippi Blues of the '40s and '50s, and the music of their mentors. The second half features three compelling albums featuring tight bands lead by forward looking bass players. The playlist features Céline Bonacina; Nicholas Payton [pictured]; Lucas Pino; Rick Rosato; Mareike Wiening; Kaisa's Machine; Arthur Kell; and A Tonic for the Troops. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18123672/Mondo-Jazz (up to "The Revelator"). Happy listening! Photo credit: Adrien H. Tillmann.

Mark Turner is here, is there, is everywhere--both on the East Coast where he was once based and on the West Coast where he moved to. And this playlist features some of his recent recordings as leader or sideman. The rest of the playlist features remarkable medium and large size ensembles, and the beautiful album by Henry Hey and his trio of sound-wave pilots. The playlist features Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18087063/Mondo-Jazz (from "Season of the Thicket" onward). Happy listening!

Putting together an episode of Mondo Jazz feels like an experiment, requiring research and analysis leading to a synthesis of the most interesting specimens from the current world jazz flora. Here some of the most significant discoveries of the last week. The playlist features Todd Clouser; Shake Stew; Mike Reed; Hiromi pictured]; Kevin Sun; Weave4, Francesco Bigoni, Benoît Delbecq, Francesco Diodati, Steve Argüelles; Astghik Martirosyan; Jeremy Udden; Sunny Kim, Vardan Ovsepian, Ben Monder Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18087063/Mondo-Jazz (up to "The Totality of Silence"). Happy listening!

Artistically ambitious, a rare woman in a male dominated scene, taking the road less travelled, or even the road never travelled, and with her feet well on the ground business-wise side to ensure her artistic independence, Carla Bley played a key role in giving today's music scene the shape we know. This week we concentrate on some of her signature compositions, focusing on her Church side, her Big Band side, her catchy side, her electric side, and some of the musicians that embraced her work early on. The playlist features Conjure, Kip Hanrahan; Orrin Evans; Howard Tate; Masabumi Kikuchi, Gil Evans; Espoo Big Band; George Russell; Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, Steve Swallow; Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Paul Bley, Bruce Ditmas; and John McLaughlin. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18060273/Mondo-Jazz [from "The Wardrobe Master of Paradise" onwards]

We could spend hours talking about the many things that made Carla Bley unique, and made her passing a huge loss for the world of jazz. This week we decided to focus on her songbook, as interpreted by many of the peers that admired her work. The playlist features Gary Burton; Henri Texier; Marcin Wasilewski; Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, Ted Nash; Antonio Zambrini, Jesper Bodilsen, Martin Maretti Andersen; Jean-Charles Capon, Richard Galliano, Gilles Perrin; NRBQ; Nick Mason; Donkey Monkey (feat. Eve Risser, Yuko Oshima); and Nancy Zeltsman. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18060273/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Over There"] Photo credit: Guy Le Querrec

Swedish saxophonists Per "Texas" Johansson and Marius Neset both have two new albums out; Swedish bassist Petter Eldh is on--at least--three new albums, including some by Johansson and Neset. This and much more on a playlist largely focusing on music from the Berlin and Scandinavian scenes. The playlist features Lucia Cadotsch; Enemy (Kit Downes, Petter Eldh, James Maddren); Per "Texas" Johansson [pictured]; Johan Lindström, Norbotten Big Band; Marius Neset, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, London Sinfonietta; Suzanne, Emile Parisien; and Aruan Ortiz. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18027811/Mondo-Jazz (from "No Apology" onwards). Happy listening!

We look at the music we love not only as source of sonic delight, but also as a metaphor of how societies could work, in harmony and respect regardless of place of origin and without boundaries, to create something higher than themselves. So this week we focus on music that may provide either hope or relief at a time when another war has erupted. The playlist features Timmy Thomas; Gilad Atzmon; Michael Moore, Jewels and Binoculars; Gerald Clayton; Charles Lloyd; Will Holshouser, Bernardo Sassetti; Horace Silver; Brad Mehldau, Pat Metheny; John McLaughlin. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/18027811/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Gaza City").

A mysterious new producer, Church Chords; the unearthing of a gem; jazz divinations; blood diamonds and bloody belly comb jellies... here for you a playlist that reads like a thriller story, and is as gripping as one. The playlist features Billy Valentine; Church Chords; Geri Allen, Kurt Rosenwinkel; Andrew Krasilnikov; Arch (Luca Sguera, Giovanni Iacovella, Joe Rehmer); Tina Raymond; Jim Campilongo, Steve Cardenas; Walt Weiskopf. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17994717/Mondo-Jazz [from ""We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue" onwards]. Happy listening!

Welcome back for yet another edition of Mondo Jazz bursting at the seams with gorgeous new and upcoming albums and music about the lockdown, incarceration, reincarnation, multi-tasking, astral projections, and how beautiful it is to play with musicians of different cultural backgrounds. The playlist features Xavi Torres; Federica Michisanti; Aaron Diehl [pictured]; Tyshawn Sorey; Joel Goodman; Caroline Davis; Andreas Schaerer, Kalle Kalima, Tim Lefebvre; Volker Goetze, Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko, Alejandro Moreno. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17994717/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Dougou"]. Happy listening!

A cosmopolitan edition of Mondo Jazz, which brings India, Cape Verde, Canada, Haiti, England, Sicily, Sardinia, the Great American Rivers, California and Germany to your headphones, wherever you might be, through Radio Free Brooklyn's digital transmitter in Bushwick! Jazz without borders! The playlist features Kavita Shah; Dominique Fils-Aimé; Alabaster Deplume; Cettina Donato, Zoe Pia; Allison Miller; Todd Sickafoose; Billy Mohler; Angelika Niescier, Tomeka Reid, Savannah Harris. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17937324/Mondo-Jazz [from "Cape Verdean Blues" onwards] Happy listening!

Large ensembles, big bands, orchestras... A playlist replete of successful experiments in the art of more is more... The playlist features Chuck Owen, WDR Big Band; Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra; Miho Hazama; Steve Lehman, Orchestre National de Jazz; Darcy James Argue's Secret Society; Pascal Le Boeuf; Andrew Krasilnikov. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17937324/Mondo-Jazz [up to "How Many Roads"] Happy listening!

James Brandon Lewis' homage to Mahalia Jackson, the ongoing Eastern and microtonal adventures of Lucian Ban, Mat Maneri, Fabio Delvò's fellowship and an exciting posse of emerging artists in their twenties make this hour of Mondo Jazz a treasure trove of sonic delights. The playlist also features Léon Phal; Logan Kane; Emma Rawicz; Shuteen Erdenebaatar [pictured]; Location Location Location feat. Michael Formanek, Anthony Pirog, Mike Pride; and Wasted Generation. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17904177/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Flow"]. Happy listening! Photo credit: Ralf Dombrowski

A playlist to travel the spaceways of Sun Ra and Bernie Worrell, but also those of Ronald Shannon Jackson and Joe Zawinul, experience the Afro Futuristic Dreams of Idris Ackamoor, the grooves of the Adam Dietch Quartet feat. John Scofield and the river streams that have inspired Helen Svoboda and Slowly Rolling Camera. The playlist also features David Helbock; Cindy Blackman Santana, John King; Orquestra Afrosinfônica, Jazzmeia Horn; Kris Davis; John O’Connor, Tim Green; Verneri Pohjola and Josh Arcoleo. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17904177/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Flow"]. Happy listening!

A playlist featuring some delicious new and upcoming releases... but this week we also want to celebrate one of the musicians we admired and respected, an artist you would always find in bands and projects that mattered and a rare gentleman with a great sense of humor, trombonist Curtis Fowlkes who passed away a few days ago at the age of 72. The playlist features The Guests, Lucy Woodward, Henry Hey; Richard Baratta; Marike Van Dijk; Aline Homzy; Precarious Towers; JoVia Armstrong; and Tomasz Dąbrowski. Detailed playlist at [from "Who Is She (And What Is She to You)?" onwards]. Happy listening!

A series of recent re-releases gives us the opportunity to focus on the phenomenal 1970s music of two iconic musicians like Betty Davis and Charles Mingus. Music so ahead of its time that it sounds as if it has just been recorded today. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17842983/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Mademoiselle Mabry"]. Happy listening!

Too often we focus our attention on instrumental jazz… in this hour we will try to remedy that with special attention to jazz singers who excel at surprising and challenging expectations. The playlist features Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter; Veronica Swift; Maria Pia de Vito; Kornél Fekete-Kovács, Veronika Harcsa, Robert Balzar Trio; Gabriela Martina; Elina Duni [pictured]; Camille Bertault, Paul Bertault; Christina Galisatus. Erin Bentlage, Joshua Crumbly; Gretchen Parlato, Lionel Loueke; Rita Reys, Oliver Nelson; Marc Jordan; Nite Bjuti. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17812561/Mondo-Jazz [from "Freeman Square" onwards]. Happy listening!

Seven days have flown by, and seven days were barely enough to go through another big pile of wonderful new and upcoming albums which we are featuring this week focusing on some captivating and forward looking projects, and several new albums that bring together jazz and the musical traditions of Cuba and Puerto Rico. The playlist features Adrian Younge, Tony Allen; Azmari; Johnathan Blake; Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley, Brian Blade; Elio Villafranca [pictured]; Miguel Zenón, Luis Perdomo; Sammy Figueroa; and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17812561/Mondo-Jazz [up to "In a Sentimental Mood"]. Happy listening!

The transatlantic partnership between Céline Bonacina, John Hadfield and Rachel Eckroth [pictured] opens an edition of Mondo Jazz which also focuses on drummer-driven projects and piano trios. The playlist features also Csaba Palotaï, Simon Drappier, Steve Argüelles; Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra; Gauthier Toux; Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente; Orbit (Stephan Oliva, Sébastien Boisseau, Tom Rainey). Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17784582/Mondo-Jazz (from "Tunnel" onwards) Happy listening!

The Fender Rhodes is back (actually, it never left)! And so is Peter Epstein almost a decade after his acclaimed album "Polarities", and with a new sextet! The playlist features also Laurent Cugny; Aki Rissanen; Matthew Halsall; Guillermo Klein; Peter Epstein; Lauren Henderson; Jeremy Dutton; Alex LoRe; and Artemis Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17784582/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Timber") Happy listening!

Unexpected returns, B-sides that sound as good as the A-sides, tributes to rock and folk heroes, Impulse! signing another key band of today's scene, Colorfield Records establishing itself even more as the label to follow... this and more on this week's edition of Mondo Jazz! Greg Joseph; Daniel Villareal; Anthony Wilson; Irreversible Entanglements; Darcy James Argue; Joni Mitchell; Vicente Archer, Gerald Clayton, Bill Stewart; Kris Allen. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17756229/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Blood Count"). Photo Credit: Nina Westervelt. Happy listening!

This week we focus on the reissue of a seminal project bridging acid jazz and trip-hop, the soundtrack to a film without pictures, a trip east bound and down fusion lane, a great crop of guitarists deserving wider recognition, and saxophonists of well-deserved recognition. The playlist features Marden Hill; Funkwrench Blues; Kait Dunton; Herb Alpert; B.D. Lenz; Andrew Gorny; David Preston; Max Light; Emiliano D'Auria; Benjamin Koppel, Scott Colley, Brian Blade; annd Chris Potter [pictured]. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17756229/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Blood Count"). Photo credit: Dave Stapleton. Happy listening!

A revelation of an album, "Sky" by Will Bernard, Beth Custer open a playlist which explores three piano jazz formats, solo, duo and trio, through a number of impressive recent releases. The playlist also features Yosef Gutman Levitt, Lionel Loueke; Jeff Babko, David Piltch; Benny Green; Simona Premazzi [pictured]; Satoko Fujii; Tania Giannouli; Leo Genovese, Demian Cabaud and Marcos Cavaleiro. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17698766/Mondo-Jazz (from "Fence" onwards) Happy listening! Photo credit: Jan Cain

This week take a look back at decades of productive and progressive relationship between jazz and hip-hop, with a focus on international projects and collaborations between jazz and hip-hop artists. Our way to celebrate half a century of hip-hop. The playlist features Dream Warriors; Us3; Meshell Ndegeocello [pictured]; Buckshot LeFonque; Steve Williamson; Q Tip, Kenny Garrett; Madlib; Jon Hassell; Russell Gunn; Courtney Pine; Guru, MC Solaar; Daniele Sepe; Thiefs, Mike Ladd; Jazz Liberatorz Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17727979/Mondo-Jazz (from "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" onwards). Happy listening!

Somehow a birthday has been identified for Hip-Hop, 11 August 1973, so in a couple of days you'll run into tons of initiatives marking the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of Hip-Hop. Should you catch yourself wondering, as a jazz fan, about how jazz and hip hop influenced each other… you may find a few clues with us here today... And since you're in a celebratory mood, maybe you may also celebrate the airing 250th episode of Mondo Jazz. The playlist features Gang Starr; Pigmeat Markham; Langston Hughes, Charles Mingus; Gil Scott-Heron; Frankie Crocker; Herbie Hancock, Rob Swift; Aesop Quartet; Steve Coleman [pictured], the Mystic Rhythm Society, AfroCuba De Matanzas; Greg Osby; Cassandra Wilson; Gary Thomas; Steve Lehman; Vijay Iyer and Mike Ladd Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17727979/Mondo-Jazz (up to "The Color of My Circumference I") Happy listening! Photo credit: Dimicology.

Lucy Woodward returns with a powerful single paving the way for a full-length album not to be missed, and for a playlist under the sign of electro-acoustic creativity, Brazilian influences and fearless imagination. The playlist also features Collettivo Immaginario, Tommaso Cappellato, Alberto Lincetto, Nicolò Masetto; Jason Moran, Marcus Gilmore BlankFor.ms; Cautious Clay, Ambrose Akinmusire, Immanuel Wilkins; Nils Kugelmann; ThoughtCast; Ryan Keberle; Marcello Gonçalves, Anat Cohen; Doug Richards Orchestra; and David Liebman. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17698766/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Beginning") Happy listening! Photo credit: Nina Duncan

The much awaited return of Tood Sickafoose graces our playlist together with other gem ranging from the gorgeous to the adventurous, with a couple of surprising contributions from musicians whose relationship with jazz has been notoriously... ambivalent, Frank Zappa and Stewart Copeland. The playlist also features Samuel Blaser; Todd Sickafoose [pictured]; Amaury Faye; Rudy Royston; Alexander Hawkins; Mick Rossi, Peter Hess, Matt Moran; John Zorn. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17670100/Mondo-Jazz (starting from ""Lady Rawlinson"). Happy listening! Photo credit: Shervin Lainez

This week we start with a remembrance of Tony Bennett and Jane Birkin, two artists who had a number of common traits that went well beyond their musicality, from their progressive activism to their multi-disciplinary talents. After that we revert to our weekly exploration of new and upcoming releases, with a special attention to trios and piano-saxophone duos. The playlist features also Alan Ferber; Naya Bazz; Roberto Negro, Emile Parisien; Nora Stanley, Benny Bock; Pierrick Pedron, Gonzalo Rubalcaba; Francesco Chiapperini; Peter Bruun and Chris Speed. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17670100/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Amos"). Happy listening!

This week's playlist features two recent albums by, and featuring, Donny McCaslin , the new album by German baritonist Kara Linn plus a score of forward looking bass players and leaders, from Meshell Ndegeocello to Linda May Han Oh, Ben Wolfe and Philly natives Christian McBride and Alexander Claffy. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17641622/Mondo-Jazz [from "Clear Water" onwards] Happy listening! Photo Credit: Dave Stapleton

After a couple of weeks focusing on some of our favorite tunes from the first half of the year here we are back on our night road to some of the most exciting new and upcoming releases, many of them with a cinematic and nocturnal vibe. The playlist features Erik Truffaz; Hernan Cassibba; The Vampires feat. Chris Abrahams; Rob Mazurek; London Brew; Yussef Dayes, Shabaka Hutchings; Matthieu Donarier, Eve Risser, Karsten Hochapfel, Toma Gouband; Eleonora Strino [pictured], Greg Cohen, Joey Baron; Christina Galisatus; and Jeff Coffin. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17641622/Mondo-Jazz [up to "Luminosity"]. Happy listening!

Africana to Americana and beyond in the final installment of our retrospective of some of the most memorable tunes we got to hear during the first half of the year. The playlist features Bill Laurance, Michael League; Artemis; Ben van Gelder; Ballaké Sissoko [pictured], Vincent Segal, Vincent Peirani, Emile Parisien; Gangbé Brass Band, Kala Jula, Fama Diabaté; Magic Malik; Ethnic Heritage Ensemble; and Stephen Ulrich. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17612249/Mondo-Jazz (from "Round House" onward). Happy listening!

Last week we focused our playlist on some of our favorite tracks from the first six months of the year. Evidently two hours were not enough and we could not play them all… so here we are going through the rest of the best. The playlist features Vicente Archer; Enzo Carniel, Hermon Mehari, Damien Varaillon, Stéphane Adsuar; John Hadfield [pictured], Kinan Azmeh; Vinnie Sperrazza, Ethan Iverson, Michael Formanek; Rachel Eckroth; Darren Johnston; Ralph Alessi; Jacob Young, Mats Eilertsen, Audun Kleive; and Asher Gamedze. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17612249/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Out Stepped Zim"). Happy listening!

A retrospective of some of the most compelling tunes we heard in the first half of 2023, distilled for your enjoyment. The playlist features Michael Blake; Thomas Naïm; Greg Ward; Lucia Cadotsch; Alessia Obino; David Preston; Ella Zirina; Kaisa's Machine; The Peggy Lee Band. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17583788/Mondo-Jazz (from "Little Demons" onwards). Happy listening! Photo credit: Dasha Dare

The first half of the year has brought us plenty of great new albums. Let's look back at some of the tunes and compositions which have left a mark during these six months. The playlist features Billy Valentine; Larry Goldings, Kaveh Rastegar, Abe Rounds; Greg Joseph; Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, Lauren Henderson [pictured]; Anat Fort; Gaia Wilmer; Magos Herrera; David Virelles; Sam Bardfeld. Detailed playlist at https://spinitron.com/RFB/pl/17583788/Mondo-Jazz (up to "Refuge"). Happy listening!